Trickster
by heyits.reagan
Summary: He came, he saw, he conquered. She saved, she learned, she suffered. (Rated T for dark scenes)
1. CH01: The Boy

Hello hello! I watched Moana the day it came out and it was beautiful! The songs and the animation and the plot and everything was just AMAZING! I've been wanting to write something on it for a while but never had any good ideas until NOW :D ! This is going to be a legit story with research so I sound like I know what I'm talking about and character development and maybe (hopefully) more than five chapters!

Oh, and Maui will be in this story as well. He comes in later on, but he's a big part of this story. Also, in case you missed the warning in the description, this story does have blood and injuries and will deal with more serious matters later on.

I'm so excited! Drop a comment on what you think please and enjoy! :D

* * *

"I win again!" Moana cheered as she landed on the hot sand and spun around to face her friends. She grinned with pride as the other boat nudged the shore and Hiapo and Haylle, twins from her tribe, climbed onto the land.

"It really wasn't a fair race," Hiapo decided, dragging his canoe further up the shore, "what with you being BFFs with the ocean and all." Hiapo was the oldest teenager in the village and easily the most attractive boy on the island (according to Moana, anyways). He was tall and muscular with wavy hair that fell just past his earlobes and the deepest green eyes. Moana could stare at him for hours (not that she hasn't already). Across his shoulder blades was a familiar pattern drawn across the sails of the canoes. He had wanted it since he first saw the giant ships peek out of the waterfall a year earlier.

"You're just grumpy because you lost," Haylle teased, running her hands through her ocean knotted hair. Along the way, their canoe had hit a wave and she was thrown off. She herself was fine, but her hair suffered twists and clumps that would take hours to untangle. As she walked across the sand, she mumbled about wanting to cut her hair. Ever since she was young, she's wanted to cut her hair and keep it just above her shoulders, but her mother strictly refused. Haylle's hair was naturally straight, a rare sight in the village, and her mother cherished it.

She and her brother were very similar in looks and personality. They were even built a bit the same as Moana realized when they were twelve and Haylle was showing curves in her biceps. Haylle often helped fish with her father when they were growing up as well, something Moana used to envy her for. Of course, things are different now that beyond the reef isn't all that frightening anymore.

"I just can't believe you're skipping out on your responsibilities to go island hunting," Hiapo muttered, turning to watch Moana drag her canoe out of the water.

"I'm not skipping out! I just _really_ wanted to get back out on the water. You know I haven't been out of that village in three _days_ , Hiapo," Moana whined.

"Oh, I had no idea being chieftess of an entire tribe was such hard work. Being the boss of everything, everyone listening to you… It must really be hard." Hiapo placed a hand over his heart in mock sympathy.

Moana rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know, it _is_ really hard. I guess I just have a way of making things look easy." She smirked and walked up the beach to meet Haylle. Hiapo watched her go with a smile before following close behind.

"So Moana," Haylle began as they walked through the jungle, ducking under branches and stepping over roots, "haven't seen much of Maui lately. You guys still besties?"

Moana chuckled and pushed a vine out of the way. "Yeah, I guess so. He's probably off partying with other demigods or something, I don't know. He doesn't have to be around all the time, you know."

"Well yeah, but when you returned from your journey last year, it seemed he was around every other day. Whenever you led the first voyage, he was there. When you were crowned chieftess, he was there. And now… It's like he's just vanished."

Moana frowned and glanced briefly over her shoulder at her friend before looking straight once more. Truthfully, she wondered whether they were still friends herself. It had been a few months since she'd seen him. Maybe he forgot about her? Got caught up in having his hook back and discovering new people to meet? She shook the thoughts from her head. You don't just forget someone who saved your life, it just doesn't happen.

"Oh, wow," Hiapo gasped, stopping suddenly and causing the girls to run into his back. Moana stood on her tiptoes and peeked around his shoulder.

"What, what is it?" Haylle asked impatiently. Hiapo stepped to the side and Moana stumbled forward. Her heart skipped a beat at the devastating scenery before them.

"Oh my gods," Haylle whispered.

A large, deep trench separated them from a scorched landscape filled with blackened grass and mucky skies. Skinny trunks dotted the ground weakly, their bodies just barely holding up. A heavy smell of smoke burned the teens' lungs and the silence that engulfed them was deafening. It was as though all of the wildlife they had heard or seen during the walk just completely vanished the second they broke through the canopy of trees.

Moana took a step forward and her foot sunk into the warm soil inside the trench. She pulled back immediately and swallowed back her fear. "What could've done this?" she asked softly, almost to herself.

"Looks like Maui is back at it," Haylle whistled, kicking a pebble into the trench.

"No," Moana snapped, her eyes narrowing, "he wouldn't do that again. This is something completely different."

"Help!" a voice shouted in the distance. The teens' eyes squinted at a stumbling blob in the horizon, arm waving frantically while something spilled off his body. As he got closer, Moana stomach rose to her throat. Hiapo felt faint. Haylle turned to the side and gagged a bit.

The owner of the voice was a boy, no younger than thirteen, with dirt scrubbed across his pale skin and his clothes torn. He had cuts and bruises across his face and skin that was revealed to the air, and the boy was clutching his shoulder tightly. However, that's not what made the teens sick.

The lack of limbs on the boy is what made the teens nauseous. The boy's hand was wrapped around the nub of his shoulder of blood seeped through the spaces between his fingers and splashed across the gray earth. Blood stained his pants as well as he limped across the scorched terrain. Hiapo gently pushed the girls behind him as the boy approached the other side of the trench.

"Please, I need help," the boy begged, tears freely flowing down his cheeks.

"Who are you?" Hiapo demanded.

"Hiapo," Moana warned, nudging the boy with her elbow, "he looks like he's about to die and you're asking for his name?"

"He could be dangerous."

"Oh yeah, he really looks like he's capable of murder right now."

Hiapo rolled his eyes and glared at the boy. "Tell us who you are and we'll help you."

"My name is Kauai and I live here. Well, I did, until everything burned before my eyes. Please, please help me. I beg of you."

Hiapo and Haylle looked at Moana, who pushed past Hiapo and stood at the edge of the trench. She raised her chin and met the boy's wide, scared eyes. With a nod, she stated, "Come with us and I promise you'll be okay."


	2. CH02: The Kupua

I'm sorry this was so late! Christmas is a very busy time for me hah... Happy holidays, by the way! Anyways, I got distracted with TV shows and working for my granny, but I'm back now!

Please drop a comment on what you think and thank you for reading! :)

* * *

The village was just awakening when Moana and her friends returned. Kauai gazed up at the towering palm trees and colorful plants that lined the island. A few kids spotted the boat arriving on the shore and raced each other to greet the chieftess.

Moana's eyes widened at the young children pushing past the leaves. She shifted her body so she blocked the view of Kauai and nodded her head to the new company. "Haylle, will you take care of them?"

Haylle stepped off the boat and held her arms out, stopping the children in their tracks. "Last one to the Grand Hall is a rotten coconut!" she shouted, kicking sand behind her as she took off into the canopy of trees. The little ones watched her for a moment before cheering and following close behind.

"How do you plan to make it through the village without destroying a child's innocence?" Hiapo questioned, taking Moana's hand as she stepped off the boat.

"Hopefully, they'll be too busy racing Haylle to notice. You ready to move, Kauai?" She walked to the side of the boat and squatted down so he could drape his arm over her shoulders.

"Your island is beautiful, Chieftess," he breathed, clutching her hand as he struggled to slide out of the boat. Hiapo rushed over and wrapped his arm around Kauai's waist. Together, the three slowly walked across the warm sand, Kauai limping every other step.

"Thank you," Moana smiled, "but please, call me Moana."

"Moana, there you are!" Tui called, waving off his men as he abandoned his basket weaving chore. His face fell and his eyes widened when he saw the bloodied boy between his daughter and Hiapo. "My gods, what happened? Where'd you two go?"

"I'll explain later, but we need to get Kauai to the healers," Moana urged. Tui nodded and stepped aside. He watched the three move through the village, earning the stares of every person both old and young. Haylle stood between two coconut trees, hands pressed over her eyes as she counted out loud. Nearby, two kids giggled as they hid beneath the porch of their hut.

"Your tribe is very lively and full," Kauai observed. "I love it."

"This isn't even all of them. There's some boats missing from our fleet, so some men must be out fishing. But yes, there's always something to do around here." Moana grinned proudly at her village. No matter how far she's journeyed or what's she's seen, nothing will ever beat the feeling of home.

"Our healers are the best in the village. You'll be better in no time," Hiapo promised as they approached the door. Moana peeled back the cloth and shuffled inside the shelter.

"Moana!" a young man cried, looking at the three of them in surprise. "What happened? Who is this?"

"This is Kauai, we found him on an island we discovered earlier today." Moana watched Hiapo and the healer lower Kauai onto a mat on the ground. "I don't know yet what happened, but can you help him?"

The healer smiled. "He's in good hands, I promise you that."

Moana nodded. "Thank you. I'll be back later to check on you, Kauai." Hiapo gently nudged her toward the door as her gaze lingered on Kauai's beaten face. He shot her a weak smile and she snapped out of her trance. Hiapo was waiting at the door for her, patiently glancing between her and Kauai.

"Moana, let's go. There's things to do," Hiapo said. Moana nodded and followed Hiapo, leaving Kauai alone with the healers.

•••••

On the beach, three small children played in the water. Two parents watched from the shore with content smiles on their faces. The waves calmly crash against the sand, splashing the kids and knocking them down as the children giggled happily.

One child, a girl with long, messy hair, stared into the crystal blue water with curiosity. She bent down, scooped something into her tiny hands, and lifted it to the surface. She turned and pushed through the water, her cheeks red with excitement.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she called, brushing a wet strand of hair from her face. Her parents leaned forward anxiously, wondering what their daughter had found. The girl stopped a few feet away and proudly thrusted her hands forward, displaying the small, red crab in her hands.

"Oh, honey! You shouldn't bother those things," the mother advised. "It might not like being held, you know."

"Oh." The girl blushed and gently sat the crab in the sand. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fish."

The father chuckled. "Why don't you go back and play with your brothers?"

"Okay!" the child beamed, turning and skipping back to the ocean. The woman eyed the crab wearily.

"Those things always creep me out. I mean, look at it! Why's it just staring at us?"

"I don't think they're creepy at all; Actually, I think they're kinda cute." The man held a finger out and stroked the the shell of the crab. "See? Harmless."

The crab spun around, claw outstretched in front of it. The man pulled back a little, watching the animal carefully. In a blink, the claw snapped shut around bone and flesh, and there was a howl of pain.

•••••

Things were quiet in the healing hut when Moana arrived later that night. Two males lay on the floor, one asleep with a bloody bandage wrapped around his hand and the other leaning against the wall, counting the lines on the wall. The alert male smiled up at Moana when she entered and his stomach quietly rumbled at the sight of the pineapple in her hands.

"You look a lot better," she complimented, sitting on her knees beside Kauai. "I originally brought this for both of the patients here, but he's asleep so I guess this is all yours."

"Thank you, I haven't eaten in a few hours."

Moana gazed worriedly at the other man. "Have you heard anything about his condition?"

"Well, seeing as he only lost a finger, he's actually doing pretty well. He was very manly as the healers wrapped the wound; He only cried once."

She giggled and looked back at Kauai. "And how about you? How's your condition?"

Kauai sighed. "My shoulder doesn't hurt anymore, but I'm still really sore."

"I bet, that was some hit your island took. Can you tell me what happened?"

He rubbed the back of his neck slowly, the muscles in his arms aching. "I wish I could, but I honestly can't remember much. I remember waking up to flames, but I don't know how it started. My tribe was nowhere to be found and the fire seemed to never end, no matter how far I ran. At some point, my arm was gone, but I was too scared to notice."

"I can't imagine how that must've felt," Moana whispered, her eyes wide with shock as she gazed into the broken stare of the boy. "I promise, we will figure out what happened to your island and your tribe. Until then, you're welcome to stay as long as you need."

Kauai smiled, relief washing over his body. "Thank you, Moana. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I remember circling that island over and over for days at a time alone with no way to find help. I thought that was it for me, that I would die on that island. But then you and your friends showed up and you saved me. I am in your debt, Moana."

Shocked, Moana held the pineapple in front of her and quickly changed the subject, "Hey, how about we eat this pineapple? I'm actually pretty hungry myself."

"Yes, let's." As Moana cracked open the fruit with a small carving knife, Kauai watched her with interest. He watched how her eyebrows scrunched in determination and her fingers tightened over the needles of the pineapple. He watched the muscles in her arms slide beneath her skin as she pried the fruit open. She was an interesting subject, that he was sure of.

"So," he began, taking one half of the pineapple, "there's been talk of a celebration tomorrow. I heard it's being held in your honor."

"Oh." Moana blushed and tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of me returning from my journey with Maui to return the heart of Te Fiti."

"Ah, Maui. Shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero to men-"

"All," she corrected. "Hero to all."

"Right. I remember my grandfather telling me legends about him.

Moana smiled. "Yeah, I grew up on his legends as well."

"I've heard some pretty bad things about him, you know. He's done some pretty terrible things."

"Maybe in his past, but he's different now." She seemed so sure of herself. Kauai smirked.

"I dunno, you can't trust the Kupua."

She frowned as she dug into the pineapple and scooped a piece out. "The what?"

As she chomped on the fruit, he asked, "You've heard the Maui legends, but not the Kupua? Maui's a part of that group of demigods; heroic tricksters. My grandfather described them as monsters with the ability to take the form of something else."

"Shapeshifters…"

"Maui, in other words. There are kind Kupua and there are dangerous ones, of course. Maui fell into the heroic category with his good deeds to help humanity and what not, but he's also done some bad in his life."

"Everyone has at some point," Moana defended. "Although, you've got me hooked. I want to know more about the Kupua."

Kauai took a deep breath and smiled. "Let's do it some other time, okay? I'm tired and you've got a big day tomorrow."

"Right, yeah, of course." Moana hurriedly climbed to her feet, pineapple loosely resting in her palms. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kauai."

"Maybe even at the party? That is, if I'm invited."

"Of course! It's an island wide festival, you know. I'd love it if you came."

Kauai grinned at her. "Then you have my word. Goodnight, Moana."

She blushed, "Goodnight, Kauai."


	3. CH03: The Demigod

The next day was filled with adults setting up for the night and kids eagerly racing to finish their chores. Moana wished she could have talked to Kauai for the day, but her mother was busy prepping her for the night festivities. It wasn't every day that a celebration is held in your honor, after all. The last Moana centered ceremony was a few months earlier when she laid her rock on the mountain and became chieftess. That was a fun day indeed, Moana though with a smile.

When the sun finally fell and the stars began to dot the night sky, the torches were lit and the drums began to play. The village gathered at the Grand Hall, swapping dishes and mingling. Children weaved through the legs of the adults, giggling as they narrowly miss a tag from their friends.

Moana smiled as she watched the scene before her. Sina took her hand and kissed her temple. "You're the reason this still exists."

"Well, me and Maui. Think he'll show tonight?" Moana really wished he would. She missed joking around with him and racing to the reef and back, then Maui complaining about Moana's obvious advantage.

"You think he's going to miss out on an entire festival held partly in his honor?" Sina raised an eyebrow and shook her head. Moana laughed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Her eyes drifted to the break in the trees where she could see the ocean so clearly. The moon shone down on the crystal water and Moana's body moved toward it, almost like it was _calling her._

"I'll be back," she promised. Sina smiled as Moana leapt off the porch and jogged through the trees.

"You can take the girl out of the ocean," Tui sighed, wrapping an arm around his wife, "but you can't take the ocean out of the girl."

"C'mon," Sina encouraged, taking Tui's hand, "let's dance." Tui chuckled and with a smirk, followed her.

••••

Moana stood at the edge of the water line, just far enough in for the water to reach her toes. The music could faintly be heard through the trees, but the crashing waves mostly drowned it out. She took a deep, long breath, savoring the salty scent in her nose.

"Hey stranger," somebody said, making Moana jolt in surprise. She stumbled forward and nearly tumbled into the water, but managed to balance herself. She spun around and was shocked at who stood before her.

"Kauai, hey," she greeted with a smile. "What are you doing all the way out here? You should be resting."

"Aren't you the one who invited me to come tonight?"

"I invited you to the party, yes, not the other side of the island. I mean, you're welcome to come to the water, of course, but I didn't think you'd want to move very much because of your…" She gestured to the wound across his shoulder, but frowned. She stepped around his body and examined the flesh across the nub of his shoulder. "Wow," she commented, "you must be a fast healer because this already looks 100 times better than it did yesterday."

Kauai took a cautious step back and nodded. "Yes, well, I'm a fast healer. You look gorgeous, by the way. Flowers are just you thing, isn't it?"

She giggled and touched the orange flower crown resting in her hair. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"So, um, what are _you_ doing out here?"

Moana pursed her lips and turned back to the ocean. "Waiting on Maui, I guess."

Kauai grimaced. "You think he'll show up?"

"My mom thinks he does and I'm hoping it's true." She looked back at him and smiled sadly. "I haven't seen him in a few months."

"You guys are pretty close, huh?"

Moana laughed. "Well, when you spent multiple days together, fighting tons of monsters and saving each other's life, you learn a lot about a person." There was a call in the distance that had Moana whipping her head around, nearly knocking the crown to the sand. A large bird dove through the air and rocketed back up again, adding barrel rolls and zigzags. Moana shook her head, amused. Leave it to Maui to make an entrance.

She tried to hide her excitement when he shifted back into himself on the beach. Moana crossed her arms over her chest and carelessly inspected her cuticles, a blank expression on her face. Maui rolled his eyes.

"Look who finally decided to show up," she said, meeting his eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

"I had to be fashionably late!" he defended with a smirk. "Are you out here alone because you were _waiting_ for me, Chosen One?"

Moana frowned. "You wish, but no. I was talking to my friend-" She turned to gesture to Kauai, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Well, uh, there _was_ somebody here earlier, I swear."

"Sure, sure, but let's face it, you missed me."

The young chieftess pressed her lips together. "I have a party to get to." Maui chuckled as she stalked past him, not daring to glance at him because she knew she'd break out into smile. As she ducked under a tree branch, she could hear him following close behind.

Back in the village, Maui and Moana were greeted with green and red leis around their necks by Hiapo and Haylle. Moana and Hiapo exchanged smiles just before Haylle grabbed Moana's hand.

"I can't believe Chieftess Moana was late to her own party," Haylle sighed dramatically. "We started practice ten minutes ago!"

"Practice for what?" Moana asked, her eyes wide.

"The big dance number! You wanted it be in it, remember?"

"Oh, right!" Maui had already wandered off, probably to get some food. Moana glanced around the village and asked, "Have you guys seen Kauai? He was at the beach earlier, but then he just vanished."

"You think he's missing?" Haylle asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hiapo shook his head. "Nonsense, he's probably just back resting. Don't worry about it, Moana. This is your night."

Moana nodded and smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure he's fine. Let's go, Haylle."

•••••

As the party was winding to a close, Moana, Haylle, and the rest of the dancers gathered the attention of the village. Moana and Haylle stood in the front, leading the group in a series of moves her grandmother taught her. To the side, a band of men beat a rhythm into the drums and the villagers sit around, watching eagerly.

Toward the end, the dancers fanned out, leaving Moana in the middle. She shot a playful glare at Haylle, who laughed and spun in a circle. Moana followed suit, raising an arm in the air and dragging her other hand across her shoulders. Hiapo shouted encouragingly for his friend's solo, starting a cheer amongst the people. Moana beamed, a laugh escaping her lips.

As she spun around, a pair of golden eyes hidden away in the bushes behind her people made her slow. They disappeared for a moment as the bush ruffled and the creature slipped away. Moana's smile fell and her eyebrows scrunched together, trying to make out what the creature was. There was a shimmer of blue dust accompanied by a dim white light that engulfed the creature and made it vanish. What replaced it made Moana's heart stop and she stumbled to a halt.

She shook it from her head quickly and rushed back into the steps. She eyed the villagers carefully, looking for anybody who noticed her hiccup. There was a certain demigod in the back who looked a bit suspicious, but nobody noticed otherwise.

When the children were put to bed and the cleanup crew was hard at work, Moana slipped away to the rock she and her grandmother used to dance on together. She dropped to the warm rock and pulled her knees to her chest. The ocean gently brushed against the rock, droplets of water splashing against her skin. Moana took a deep breath and looked around. What if she wasn't alone? What if that thing was watching her? What if-

"What's wrong with-"

"AH!" Moana screamed, tumbling back into the water. She lingered under the surface for a moment, contemplating meeting whoever scared her. At least in the water, she's safe.

The lack of oxygen in her lungs forced her to resurface a few moments later. Maui stood on the beach, watching her with an expression that displayed how much he questioned her sanity. Slowly, Moana dragged herself out of the water and walked up the sand, squeezing the water out of her hair.

"You scared me," she declared after looking at his face.

" _I_ did or someone _else_ did?" he asked knowingly. "You froze back there."

"I just remembered I forgot to make sure Hei Hei's inside."

"You looked scared."

"Hei Hei could very easily die if not watched out for."

Maui raised an eyebrow, seeing straight through her lie. Moana rocked on her heels and avoided eye contact, her mind scrambling for something to change the subject. Her eyes lit up then and she met his gaze again.

"Tell me what you know about the Kupua."

Maui's facial features shifted from surprise and quickly back to disbelief. "What makes you think I know what that is?"

"A friend of mine told me you were part of that group. You know, demigods, shapeshifters, trickers…"

His eyes narrowed. "Who told you that?"

Moana took a deep breath and explained everything regarding Kauai, minus his name; She didn't feel his name was the important part of the story. Maui half listened, half watched the darkening island behind them. Something was lurking in the shadows, he could feel it.

"… and he was the one I was talking to before you arrived, then he just vanished," she finished.

"You don't think that's a little odd?"

"What?"

"That he just vanished when I showed up?"

"Not everyone is a fan of yours, Maui."

"Hard to believe, but I know. I don't think you should be trusting this guy."

"Maybe he was just a little shaken from seeing a demigod, but I know he's a good person."

"Really?" Maui crossed his arms. "You know that for certain?"

"I do!" Moana declared. "What harm could he possibly do? I mean, he's not even armed!"

Maui pursed his lips. "He's halfway there."

"Stop judging people when you don't even know them."

"Stop defending people when you've only known them for a day. C'mon, you're not the least bit suspicious of that guy? About what happened to his island or how he managed to heal overnight after his arm was mysteriously torn off?"

Moana glared. "He doesn't remember anything."

"What a coincidence."

"Why are you being such a jerk about this?"

"Why are you being so _naive_ about this? You don't even know this guy."

"I know him better than you. If you only came here to eat our food and judge my decisions, then," her face brightened in mock amusement, "what can I say except _you're welcome_ ," she narrowed her eyes, "to leave."

Maui glanced back at the dark trees and scowled. "Fine, whatever, but when he turns around and stabs you in the back, don't come crying to me."

Moana squared her shoulders. "Trust me, I won't."

Maui glared and held his hook out. In a cloud of mist, he transformed into his hawk and took off without a second glance. Moana watched until he disappeared into the dark clouds. Suddenly, that feeling was back again. The feeling that she wasn't alone, even with Maui gone. Hesitantly, she turned to the dark jungle of trees. Just barely, she could make out the torches outside the huts through the village. She sighed and began to walk home, chills running down her spine as a pair of eyes followed her.


	4. CH04: The Cannibal

It began to rain by the time Moana finally trudged back to her home, her heart heavy from the fight with Maui. She sat on her porch and stared up at the healing hut thoughtfully. There was a dim light in the windows that wavered every once in a while. Moana sighed and leaned against the rail.

What if Maui was actually onto something back there? Kauai showed up only yesterday and already strange things have happened. She'd never heard of a crab snapping somebody's finger off, no matter how angry it got. And the creature, the dog like creature with the spooky golden eyes that lingered in the bushes–she'd never seen _anything_ like it before in her entire life. Moana couldn't help but think it wasn't just a coincidence that Kauai's presence has brought strangeness to her island.

She yawned and pushed off the rail; The party really took a lot out of her tonight. _Whatever's going on_ , she decided, _it can wait until tomorrow_.

•••••

The rain was still beating down when Moana awoke the next morning. The village was empty and silent as she raced through, pulling her hair back into a wet bun on top of her head.

Kauai was walking around the healing hut, licking his lips like he'd just had a snack. He looked up in surprise when the floorboards shifted beneath him and smiled at Moana.

"I must be pretty important for you to come see me in the pouring rain," he joked. Moana smiled and walked to the closet where towels and blankets are stored.

"I won't have anything to do until the rain stops, so I figured I'd keep you company," she explained, draping a towel around her shoulders. Moana glanced at the bed where the other injured villager once laid. "Oh, I didn't know he was healed."

Kauai's eyes dropped to the empty space. "Yeah… He checked out last night." He sat down on his bed and crossed his legs. "So, have you come to hear more stories?"

Moana nodded eagerly and sat in front of him. "I've always believed rainy days were perfect for storytelling."

Kauai grinned. "Funny, my grandfather used to say the same. Hmm… Oh! There's one legend of Mamala the surf rider. She's a mo'o, or a humungous reptile, as well as a gorgeous woman. There's a few legends on her, so the stories always change. That's all I know about her, I think."

"Mamala," Moana repeated, trying the name on her tongue. "Tell me more."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "There's also a cannibal. A dog-man overthrew the government of an island and ate all the people he killed."

"Dog-man?" Moana asked. She thought back to what she saw last night. It was definitely some kind of dog, albeit it was larger than most dogs. She saw it transform into a human, a boy to be more specific. There was a sick feeling in her stomach when she met his eyes again. "Kauai, can you keep a secret?"

"Yes, of course."

Before she could bring it up, though, somebody stumbled into the hut. Moana leapt to her feet in surprise, expecting to see her father. Instead, a woman dropped to her knees, arms wrapped around her stomach as she sobbed.

 _The man's wife_ , Moana recognized. She remembered the woman frantically screaming for help as her husband swayed through the village from loss of blood.

"He's dead," she moaned. "He's dead!"

Moana knelt next to the woman. "Shh, it's okay. Can you tell me what happened?"

"He's in the bushes! Behind your home, Chieftess, I saw him in the bushes!"

Kauai climbed to his feet. "I'll go with you, Moana."

"No, it could be dangerous and you're not completely healed."

The boy walked to a chest in the corner of the room and pushed it open. Inside, a collection of tools he'd seen the healers use were lined in perfectly neat rows. He grabbed the biggest blade he could find and spun around to face the women.

"Three arms are better than two," he stated firmly. Moana swallowed hard, the options playing out in her mind. If her suspicions are right, this could be a very bad idea. But, if she's wrong, it wouldn't hurt to have back up if there's something much dangerous beyond the trees.

Moana met Kauai's eyes and nodded curtly. "Then let's go."

* * *

That was actually shorter than I though it'd be... Hah my bad! But man the next chapter is definitely going to be longer. I'm working on it now so it should be up soon! :)


	5. CH05: The Truth

Hi! So, the legend of the dog-man demigod was very vague; I couldn't even find an actual name. Because of that, I decided to put a little spin on the stories. He really did overthrow a government and eat the people he killed, but the stuff about his mother and his powers beyond shapeshifting is all things I made up myself. Okay, carry on…

* * *

The mud beneath Moana's feet slipped down the hill and dragged her down with it. Kauai caught her arm as she tumbled back into his chest. Moana blushed and regained her footing. Kauai chuckled, almost tauntingly, Moana thought.

"Maybe we should wait for the rain to clear up," Moana suggested, shielding her eyes from the heavy downpour.

"No, I think I see him!" Kauai cried, pointing toward a bundle of bushes a few feet ahead. Moana grabbed a tree root and climbed up the hill again. Kauai followed, his knife close to his side.

She knelt down and sighed. It was hard to make out what it was through the mud and rain. Blood poured out of wide gashes across his abdomen and mixed into the heavy soil. Moana scrunched her nose in disgust and decided against getting closer for a better look.

"This isn't normal," Kauai declared.

"I know. Look at the teeth marks on his arms; No ordinary creature did this." She pointed to the deep punctures across the man's arms where blood still seeped to the surface. She chewed on her lip and glanced to the side. "Kinda looks like dog bites, you know?"

"I wondered how long it'd take you. Honestly, I thought you'd be quicker." Something poked her skin and pressed between her shoulder blades.

"I'd had my suspicions," she defended. "After last night, talking to Maui, I finally began to think clearly."

"Talking? Looked more like fighting to me. Stand up." Slowly, Moana rose to her feet, her body trembling. She had to admit, she was terrified. Kauai could very easily kill her, dispose of her body, and nobody would ever know. He could make up some story about Moana falling prey to a shark or slipping off the edge of a cliff and it'd be the end of Moana Waialiki.

"Why did you do this?" she asked, daring to turn her head and look at him.

Kauai smirked, his brown eyes shining. "Let's walk and talk, shall we? We're going to the boats. If you make a sound or indicate in any way that you're in danger, I'll slit your throat and dine on your village."

As they began to walk down the hill, the sharp pain in her back disappeared. Kauai walked close and grabbed her wrist. He may only have one arm, but he was as strong as Hiapo (which was really strong, by the way). She glared at him.

"So you're the dog-man Kupua. You're the one who was watching me dance and you were by the water last night, weren't you?"

"Give the girl a prize, she's figured it out!" he mocked. The rain was beginning to let up now. Moana plucked a pink flower sprinkled with droplets of water from a bush as they passed.

"So what's your game plan here? Why go after me and my people?" They strolled past Moana's home like it were any other regular day. She stared longingly at her home, thinking of how easy it'd be to just cry out for help. Sure, he might kill her, but there's no way a handicapped boy could take on an entire village.

But then she remembered that handicapped boy was actually a demigod and her hope evaporated.

"One word: Maui."

"Maui?"

When they reached the shore, Moana's hope was revived. There's no way they'd make it to wherever Kauai was planning to go without the ocean tossing him overboard. Moana smirked at the body of water as it gently crashed against the shore.

"Don't be so smug," Kauai warned. He drew the blade from his waistband and pointed it at the girl. "I _will_ kill you, Moana. It'll ruin my fun, but I'll do it."

"What fun?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Get on the boat."

It stopped raining when Motunui was just a green dot in the distance. They were headed to Kauai's home island, the place they first met. Moana leaned over and dragged her fingers through the water. When Kauai wasn't looking, she dropped the flower into the water.

"Send help," she begged. The flower disappeared beneath the surface and Moana smiled. With a sigh, she pulled herself back into the boat. "So, how does Maui fit into this?"

Kauai turned to her. "I've known Maui for about one thousand something years. When he was first taken in by the gods, we were bets friends. I showed him how to shapeshift and he told me all about humans. As we grew older, he became obsessed with pleasing and impressing the humans. I thought he was insane and didn't keep my opinions to myself. I didn't see the point in trying to fit in with a race that outcasted him and I constantly tried to make him forget about humans all together. Honestly, being with his own kind is much easier on everyone."

"Well, technically, his own kind is human beings," Moana couldn't help but point out.

"Not anymore. He's a demigod and, more importantly, a Kupua. If we could make up, I'd consider letting him be my best friend again."

She rolled her eyes. "You make it sound like such an honor. But you're still fighting even after a thousand years?"

"He tore off my arm," he spat. "When we first began to fight, he was so angry that I insulted the humans that he actually tore off one of my limbs. So, yes, we're still fighting. This is my revenge."

"Why am _I_ your revenge?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are all you princesses so mindless?"

"I'm not a princess," she snapped.

"Princess, queen, chieftess, I really don't care. You've been quite the talk amongst the gods and demigods ever since you returned Te Fiti's heart. Not only did you save a goddess, but you also changed Maui's selfish personality, which is kind of a big deal. You're far more important in our world than a human should be, not to mention you're the first person Maui's actually cared about in over a thousand years. I figure taking your life is fairly even to him taking my arm."

Her eyes widened. "You think a _person's life_ is equivalent to a _lost limb_? Are you _serious_?"

"Honestly, I've made do without my arm in the past century or so, but that's only because I've had no choice. There was no revenge that was equivalent to the pain I felt when I lost my arm until now." He winked at her.

"Why didn't you just kill me back in my village? Aren't you just going to go back and finish them off anyways?"

"Normally, I'd love a big meal like that. However, my mother Pele, goddess of fire, doesn't like me killing people at random. She says it reflects poorly on her or something, so I'm not allowed to eat more than 100 people a month."

Moana glanced at the water as stronger waves began to rock the boat. "Sounds like a dark allowance." The boat shuffled to the side, causing Kauai to stumble. She inched toward the edge. In the distance, Kauai's island began to peek over the horizon. The boat jerked again, this time knocking him off his feet. Moana leaned over and scooped the water in her hands.

"Ha!" she shouted, splashing Kauai in the face then scrambling to slide overboard. Everything happened so fast then, she still has no idea what happened. Being a dog-man must heighten your speed or something, because one minute she's scrambling to the safety of the water and the next she's pinned down on the floor of the boat, the tip of the knife embedded in her arm. She screamed in pain and the ocean angrily rocked the canoe. Kauai towered over her, a bored look on his face.

"I warned you," he said simply. "Maybe this time you'll listen." He leaned down and yanked the knife from her arm, causing another strike of pain to surge through her body. She sobbed as blood squirted from her wound and dripped through the wood beneath her. Any feeling she had in her arm was gone now, except for the searing pain that the center of the wound gave off. Moana didn't move from her spot, the pain overwhelming. Tears ran down her cheeks as the world around her spun and her stomach churned.

"Look alive, we're almost there," Kauai called, smirking down at her. He opened the cupboard where supplies were stored. "Oh, lucky for you there's something to wrap your arm with." He grabbed the roll of bandages and sat next to Moana. He grabbed her elbow and lifted it off the boat. Moana bit her lip hard and winced as fresh tears fell down her cheeks. As Kauai began to wrap her arm, he paused and dipped his finger into the wound. Moana jerked and screamed in agony. Kauai smirked and sucked the blood off.

"Nothing beats the sweet irony taste of human blood." He smiled, his white teeth stained with red. Moana could feel bile rising in her throat, but she forced it down.

The boat bumped into the sand just as Kauai finished wrapping Moana's wound. He leapt off the canoe and dragged it further up the shore. Moana slowly, very slowly, rose to her feet and used the mast for support when her body began to sway.

Kauai grinned evilly. "Come, Moana. The fun is just beginning."

•••••••••

Meanwhile, on an island far, far away, a group of guy demigods and unsuspecting human women partied with alcohol and seduction. Maui sat on a log beside the fire with two gorgeous women on either side, playing with his hair and telling him how great he is.

The waves violently beat against the rocks that lined the shore, but hardly anybody paid them attention. It wasn't until a glowing figure appeared in the water did the demigods finally notice. Maui rose from the log and walked toward the ocean to see what the figure was.

A glowing blue light in the water formed the shape of a stingray. Maui frowned because wait, _didn't Moana's grandmother turn into one of those or something?_ He walked forward so the water ran against his toes. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

Something soft brushed against his skin and he looked down. A bright pink flower lay innocently in the sand between his feet, almost like an accident. To anyone else, this probably would be considered an accident, but not Maui. Not when his best friend was, like, the child of the sea or something and not when the flower she usually wore in her hair just suddenly washed up, unharmed, in a violent wave with a glowing stingray. To anyone else, this probably would be a bit unsettling and odd, but to Maui, this was trouble.

He narrowed his eyes. "Take me to her." The glowing stingray turned and took off through the sea. Maui howled and transformed into a giant hawk. He took off without any explanation, his only thought focused on Moana, and saving her from whatever danger she managed to get herself into.

* * *

I wanna say THANK YOU to everyone who's reviewed this story so far! Wow, my computer wouldn't load all of the reviews, so when I saw it suddenly jumped from 8 to 15 I was so shocked and overwhelmed with happiness! I'm so excited that people love this so much! I just wanted to say thank you to you all, you really made my week :D 3


	6. CH06: The Rescuers

Hi! So I hate to sound needy or whatever, but I have to say it. I work hard on these pieces and knowing that people read and not tell me what they think isn't very motivating. Please, tell me what you thought! Tell me you loved it, hated it, was confused about it, something! This isn't just me, I'm sure. Authors want to know what their readers are thinking beyond the "update soon" comments (it's lovely to know you want more, don't get me wrong). Please, don't think I'm looking for attention or love on my stories because I'm not. I just would like some feedback on what I write rather than a bunch of silent readers.

Anyways, yeah, enjoy :)

* * *

"He's gone?" Haylle asked, stepping into the hut as the cloth door fell shut behind her. Hiapo wrapped the shivering woman in a blanket and joined his sister across the room.

"She says he and Moana took off a while ago to investigate her husband's body," Hiapo explained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"His _body_?" she gasped.

Hiapo nodded. "Behind Moana's home, in the bushes.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you sound like we're about to go find a dead body?"

Hiapo pursed his lips.

••••••

"Why'd you set fire to only half your island?" Moana asked as they stepped around a bundle of red plants. Kauai smirked at her.

"Just for kicks, I guess."

"You're a monster."

"You're not wrong, Princess."

"I'm _not_ a princess," she spat. He rolled his eyes.

"You're so stubborn. What do I call you, then? _Chosen One_?"

"No." She narrowed her eyes. "Moana, my name is Moana."

"Okay then, Moana, you go first." He shoved her forward and she stumbled over the soil. The ghastly trench stood before them. A chill ran down Moana's spine and Kauai snickered.

"It's unsettling, isn't it?" he asked, his voice low and almost mocking. "Wanna know what makes this spot so special?"

Moana avoided eye contact. "No, not really."

Kauai's stomach growled as he grinned wickedly. "This, Moana, is the very place where my food burned."

Tears brimmed her eyes and she gently grabbed her injured arm. "Why am I here?"

"I have yet to hit my 100 meal marker, dear."

With her cheeks wet with tears, Moana raised her eyes and met his cold gaze.

••••••

"There's a half eaten dead man in the woods and Kauai and Moana are missing," Haylle summed up as the pair quickly walked through the lively village.

"Remember the stories Moana told us? About Kupua demigods? What if one of the demigods was a cannibal?" Hiapo asked, pushing past a branch of giant leaves.

"You don't really think that thing is on our island, do you?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Kauai's the one who knows the most about it, though. We need to find out where they are."

"Why would they just disappear like that?" Haylle glanced at the canoes. "Moana wouldn't leave without warning us first. What if something worse is going on?"

Hiapo grit his teeth. "All the more reason to find them. I'm going to grab weapons, you make sure nobody finds out where we're going." Haylle nodded. As Hiapo began to jog back through the trees, he was stopped. Tui and Sina blocked the path, faces full of disbelief as they glanced between the two teens.

"Why do you kids have to act as though the world rests on your shoulders?" Tui cried, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"It makes the story more dramatic," Haylle answered with a shrug.

Hiapo ignored her, "We didn't want somebody to find out and stop us from saving Moana."

Sina frowned. "Save Moana from _what_?"

"We don't know, really," Haylle admitted. "We're pretty certain she's with Kauai and we were about to go check his island."

Tui clenched his jaw. "We didn't have a say in Moana leaving to find Maui. She could've died and we would've been stuck here, helpless. This, however, we _do_ have a say in. If you're going to rescue Moana, then we're coming, too."

Hiapo nodded. "Okay, then there's no time to lose."

••••••

"You're not going to get away with this, you know," Moana growled. "I sent for help before we arrived, so they should be arriving any time now." Kauai dragged her across the trench and into the eery open plain of his land.

"They'll be too late," Kauai swore.

"I still don't understand, why would you destroy your own village?" Moana spun in a slow circle, taking in the debris. "And how did you do it?"

"Being the son of fire really has its perks." Moana turned to him as he held his hand out to her. In the bed of his palm, a flame flickered to life out of thin air. Moana's eyes widened. "As for the village, well, I wouldn't label it as my own. I tried to live amongst you humans just to see what Maui found so fascinating about you, but I got bored after a week. All you flesh bags do is chores! Where's the fun in that?"

"There's fun in chores, you just gotta know how to do them right."

"But you don't even know how to _fight_ properly!"  
"Have you ever _seen_ a human fight?"

Kauai raised an eyebrow in disbelief and took a few steps back. "Oh please, _Moana_ , do show me how it's done."

Moana didn't appreciate the patronizing tone. She clenched her fists and raced toward him, face twisted in anger and a battle cry escaping from her lips. She swung a blow to the right, but he dodged it with ease. Moana twisted her body as she kicked her foot out, but Kauai caught her ankle and shoved her to the ground. He loomed over her, a teasing smile on his lips.

"Was that the best you've got?" he cackled. "You fight like a toddler learning to walk!"

The young girl pushed some distance between them and took a deep breath. "Okay, I wasn't trained to fight, I was trained to lead, but don't think you're better just because you're a demigod. Everybody has a blind spot that can determine a fight real quick."

"Not me, Chieftess. I was born with no weaknesses, only strengths."

Moana shook her head slowly. "That can't be true. Everybody has a weakness, even the most legendary demigods."

Kauai chuckled darkly. "You humans and your need to be right all the time! This is a whole different playing field, _girl_. You have _no idea_ who you're up against."

"I think you're a little more obsessed with humans than you realize," she admitted.

His face fell and she sneered at her. "Shut up."

An idea popped into her brain and she smirked. "Of course, I don't blame you. Humans _are_ easily the smartest race in the world. I mean, just look at the boats we've made and the way we use our islands for survival."

Kauai snarled. "The only reason you have an island is because Maui pulled them up for you."

"Yeah, but even _Maui_ was born a human. Face it, no matter what you say, we're just better."

"Better at being egotistical, maybe. Besides, you humans are the ones who abandoned Maui! Why would he keep bothering to get your attention?" Kauai seemed to ask the last part to himself, Moana still heard.

She frowned. "I don't know, really. I guess it doesn't matter how much pain someone puts you through. What matters is where you come from, and how can you turn your back on family?"

"That's why humans are so weak. Your feelings hold you back from doing what you must. _That's_ why you will never be superior or even so much as equal to us."

"If you didn't have us, you demigods would be a thing of the past. It's our stories that keep you alive and well known throughout the centuries. If anything, you should really be _thanking us_."

Kauai's eyes flashed a dark gold. "Shut. Up."

Moana smirked. "Even Maui knows it, and that's what you hate the most, isn't it? That, no matter how long you two have known each other, he'll always pick us over you. I figured out your weakness, Kauai. It's _jealously_."

"Shut up!" Kauai raged, transforming into a large, black dog and pouncing on Moana. He lowered his head and growled in her face.

••••••

Haylle screamed when Maui dropped onto their boat, transformed into himself. The demigod looked around at the crew aboard the canoe and stated, "I assume we're all headed the same way."

"Moana told us stories about a group of demigods called the Kupua," Hiapo explained, looking up at Maui.

"Yeah, she mentioned that to me. Who told her that, anyways?"

"Some one armed kid named Kauai," Haylle answered, grabbing the paddle and steadying the boat's wavering path. Maui's eyes widened and his heart stopped. Tui noticed the expression right away and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You know who it is." It wasn't a question, but Maui still nodded.

"He's a dog-man cannibal who absolutely despising humans."

"That's our girl, getting into trouble everywhere she turns," Sina joked half heartedly, her stomach lurching at the thought of that man near her daughter.

"The island's not that far now," Hiapo informed, pointing to a discolored land in the distance. Sina frowned and squinted her eyes at the island.

"Are you sure that's it? It looks so… Bland."

"That's because half of it is scorched," Haylle explained with a sigh.

Tui turned to Maui. "You can get there faster than we can. Go help Moana and, if that man has done anything-"

"Don't worry," Maui cut him off, tightening his grip around his hook, "I'll make him pay." He turned to the island where smoke was just beginning to rise into the air. With a grunt, he transformed into his giant hawk and took off.

••••••

"Stop running so I can eat you!" the devil dog howled, his mouth foaming and his eyes shining. Moana raced across the terrain, kicking up dirt and taking sharp turns to throw him off. Kauai laughed manically behind her. "You can run, but you can't hide, Moana!"

The trench was a few feet ahead of her. If she could just make it into the trees, she could escape into the safety of the ocean. Kauai's heavy feet shook the ground behind her. In her chest, her heart pounded painfully and her lungs burned. Her hair whipped in her face, blurring her vision and making her stumble.

Just as she was about to leap over the trench, a ball of fire exploded in front of her. She slid to a stop and scrambled back, the flames hungrily striking at her. She looked behind her in shock and fear as Kauai, now back to his man form, strolled up to her, another fire ball hovering in his hand.

The fire illuminated a dark shadow across his corrupted grin. "It's been fun, Moana, really, but I think it's time we say our goodbyes. Don't worry, this won't hurt… Much." With a sharp cackle that shot chills across her body, Kauai threw the fire ball at the young chieftess as she used her last moments of life to scream.


	7. CH07: The End

She waited for the fire with her eyes squeezed shut and her hands blocker her face, but the attack never came.

"Not on my watch!" Maui shouted, slicing through the flames with his fish hook. Moana cracked an eye open and found herself frozen in shock.

"Oh my gods, oh my gods," she whispered. The reality of how close she was to death weighed heavily on her.

"Nice to see you again," Kauai said slowly, taking a few steps back. Moana scrambled to her feet, her fingers trembling and her legs like jelly. "You're a little late to the party, though." Kauai's golden eyes flicker to Moana, who paled at the sight.

Maui grit his teeth. "Get out of here, Moana," he ordered, his eyes never leaving Kauai. She didn't have to be told twice. Kicking up dirt, she fled the scene with a heavy heart. She hated leaving Maui alone, but fear had infected her brain and it was demanding she run. She planned to get away just long enough to calm down before going back to finish the fight.

Sitting on the shore was a familiar boat that made Moana's heart leap. Hiapo and Tui were helping the women onto the sand when Moana broke through the trees, a ghostly smile on her face and her hand wrapped around the bloodied bandage on her arm.

"Moana!" Sina cried, engulfing the young chieftess in her arms. "Oh, we were so worried about you!" She pulled away and cupped her daughter's face. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I've been better…" Moana reluctantly released her arm, showing off the injury. Sina's eyes fell to the bandage and she gasped. Tui joined her side and his eyes narrowed.

"Did that boy do that?" he demanded.

"Not a boy, a demigod. He's a Kupua, like Maui. He faked being injured when we first arrived to get closer to me." Moana's shoulder sagged and she bowed her head. "I can't believe I was so stupid…"

Tui lifted her chin and smiled at her. "You saw a person in need of saving and you went for it. Although you were wrong this time, your kindness is not what makes you weak." Moana smiled up at him.

"So, what now?" Haylle asked. "Do we go fight or wait and see?"

"We take Moana back to Motunui," Hiapo answered. "She needs to be healed and we don't have the supplies to do that here."

Tui nodded. "He's right."

"Wait, what about Maui?" Moana asked. "We can't just leave him here!"

"Demigod vs Demigod," Haylle said, holding her hands out as though she were weighing the options. "It sounds like an even fight to me, so there's not much we can do anyways. I'm sure he'd want you to go back and heal rather than stay and injured yourself even more."

Sina placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and Moana flinched away. With a frown, Sina backed off and said, "Then let's head out. We need to redress your bandage, dear."

Moana nodded numbly and followed her family and friends onto the canoe. As she sat in the back beside Hiapo, she turned and stared up at the island. It was eerily quiet, almost like the two were waiting for the mortals to leave so the real fight could begin. She didn't like the feeling of leaving him alone, whether he can handle himself or not (although she knew plain as day that he could easily handle himself).

When the canoe was a considerable distance from the island, Hiapo began to undress her bandage. She kept her head turned, unable to see the wound that was waiting beneath. She stared into the water, her mind clouded with a million different thoughts.

"Geez, Moana," Hiapo whispered so her parents wouldn't hear, "what happened to you?" Haylle leaned over and cringed at the sight.

Moana forced a smile that held nothing but sadness and fear as she thought back. "I tried to jump overboard, but he pinned me down with his knife. That was when I really knew he wasn't messing around."

Hiapo swallowed his anger and focused on wrapping her arm. _I hope Maui kills that bastard_ , he thought bitterly.

The further they drifted from the island, the more Moana's stomach churned. How could they just leave him? Demigod or not, he might need help! When she was trying to return the Heart, he still came back even after a fight, even after he got so mad he took off. He left but came back, and what was she doing? Leaving, just leaving.

Moana surveyed her surroundings. She could probably swim back to shore if the salt water numbed the pain long enough. But what would stop her parents from turning around and dragging her away again? She glanced over her shoulder at them as they spoke in hushed voices.

Looking back at the island, her heart stopped. A thick cloud of gray rose from the treetops and dispersed into the sky. Orange peeked into the open and grew at an alarming pace. Moana jumped to her feet, rocking the boat gently.

"The island's on fire!" Moana cried in alarm. "We have to go back!"

"Maui can just shapeshift into a bird and escape, Moana," Sina reassured her. "I'm sure he's fine."

Moana looked back at the island anxiously. The trees lining the front were now engulfed entirely of flames. She watched the sky, hoping to see a giant hawk break through the wall of smoke. However, nothing happened. Her mouth felt dry. He should've escaped by now, he should've fled before the fire got this bad.

Hiapo carefully pinned the bandage under her arm and muttered that he was finished. Moana glanced at the ocean, somehow hoping it could read her mind.

"Ocean, help me out here," she begged quietly.

"Moana, sit down before you knock all of us overboard," Tui ordered.

Moana took a deep breath…

… And leapt into the icy cold water.

•••••••

"You had everything!" Kauai yelled over the crackling fire. They stood in a ring of flames so thick Maui saw nothing but orange. He covered his mouth and coughed while holding his fish hook protectively over his body. Kauai stood a few feet away, arms engulfed in fire and eyes glowing bright red. "You had power, friends, connections with all of the gods! How could you give it all up for mere mortals?!"

"Kauai, you have to stop. Put this fire out before it destroys the whole island!" Maui commanded.

"I don't care about a dumb island. I'm a demigod, this world is beneath me!"

"If you let the world burn, you're going to take place of the humans. How would you feel if you belittled their race and became just as inferior? Their kind and ours _can_ live together! We have to, because we would be nothing without them!"

"Shut up!" Kauai growled, a dark mist circling him and his body transforming into the giant black dog. Maui narrowed his eyes at the golden orbs staring back at him. Saliva dripped from Kauai's mouth as he barred his sharp fangs and howled at the moon.

"If you're so keen on protecting those gutless creatures, then you can burn with them!" Kauai bellowed, pouncing on Maui.

•••••••

"Moana!" Hiapo shouted, diving into the ocean after her. "Moana, stop!" He dove under a humungous wave that rose from the depths and surrounded the boat on all sides. When he resurfaced, Moana was halfway back to shore. He took a deep breath and took off after her, tearing through the water with every ounce of strength he could muster. He had to stop her from reaching the jungle, he had to stop her from running into the fire, risking her life for a demigod who doesn't need saving.

He just _had_ to save her.

•••••••

Kauai sunk his fangs into Maui's hook and jerked his head right and left, hoping to knock Maui into the flames. Maui grit his teeth, twisted his body, and flung Kauai to the side. Kauai yelped in surprise as his large figure rolled into the flames. Maui waited a moment for an attack then, when nothing came, transformed into a bird and took off.

He was about halfway up when something sharp closed around his ankle. Maui howled in pain and looked down to see Kauai, left ear on fire and eye blaring with anger. Maui doubled his strength, willing his arms to take them out of the flames. He lost feeling in his leg and the numbness began to climb up his torso. They began to lose momentum and crashed into a clearing just feet away from the fire.

Maui transformed into his human self and pushed himself against a large tree. He pressed his hands to the gash around his ankle and hissed in agony.

"You've nowhere to run," Kauai creeping toward him with his head down as though he were stalking his prey. "After I'm finished with you, I'm going after the girl. Then, the power duo will be no more than a legend."

"At least people will still _like_ us," Maui argued, forcing a smirk in the midst of his pain. It disappeared immediately, though, and a spiteful snarl replaced it. "You've been fear and hatred since you were born, though. It doesn't matter if you kill us now, we'll live on as heroes and you'll just be the demon who _kills_."

Kauai snapped and growled, saliva spitting on the ground. He kicked dirt in the air and charged at Maui, eyes twisted into a color Maui's never seen on anyone. Maui took a deep breath, chest puffed out and fists clenched. At least he's going down with a fight.

Suddenly, a bundle of brown rocks tumbled across the ground. Kauai's paws stepped on the first rock and he very ungracefully crashed to the ground. Maui frowned and scratched his head, wondering what just happened. Kauai growled and looked around as well, searching for the culprit.

Another rock shot through the air and bounced off Kauai's head. He glared into the trees, zeroing in on an annoying island girl with her arms full of the nasty rocks. Although it was hard to see with all the smoke in the air, he knew it was her. _Of course it's her_ , he thought bitterly.

"Hey, don't trip on the taro root!" she yelled as another figure beside her grabbed two more rocks– _taro roots_ –and launched them at the dog. This time, Kauai leapt out of the way.

"Moana," he hissed, hatred dripping from his tone. Maui twisted and stared into the tree tops in shock. Moana threw the last taro roots and leapt from branch to branch until she was back on the ground. Ahead of her, the fire raged on, crawling toward them at snail's pace.

Behind her, Hiapo landed on the ground in a crouch and grabbed two taro roots for defense. Moana walked around the tree and knelt next to Maui.

"Can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?" she asked with a sigh, looking down at his ankle.

"I had it under control!" he defended.

"Enough!" Kauai shouted. Moana fell on her butt in surprise while Hiapo raised a taro root over his head, ready to launch. Kauai crept toward the girl, ear half burnt off and blood dripping from an empty hole in his gum.

Moana felt sick to her stomach, but still managed to stand. She took a step forward, shoulders squared and hands clenched. She had no weapons on her, no means of defense, still she stood as though the battle was hers. The fire boiled her flesh and the wound on her bicep ached, still she faced the most dangerous enemy with a look of determination and courage. She needed him to think he didn't scare her, that she wouldn't back down, no matter how much she actually wanted to.

"Little Moana," Kauai mocked, pulling his lips back in a smirk, "ready for a fight she knows she can't win. Look at you, no spear, no knife, not even a _coconut_ for defense. At least your friend over there has _some kind_ of protection, be it weak and useless. How dare you stand so tall in front of me?"

"I am Moana of Motunui. You will leave these islands and return to your home in peace."

"And you're going to make sure that happens, is that right?"

"No," Maui answered. Moana turned in surprise as Maui used his hook to climb to his feet. Although his face looked worn and his movements were sluggish, he stood as straight as possible and glared evenly at Kauai. " _We_ are going to make sure that happens."

"That makes three of us," Hiapo added, stepping on the other side of Moana. She looked between her friends, a smile creeping onto her face. Together they stood, shoulder to shoulder, against Kauai and the ever growing sea of fire that loomed over the trio like a menacing tidal wave.

"Guess I'll have to go over my limit," Kauai muttered, arching his back and clawing at the ground. Moana squinted her eyes, trying to anticipate the battle that was about to unfold. She wondered what she would do next. Run? Throw more taro roots at him? Would Maui fight back, even though he's hurt? Would Hiapo try and persuade Moana to run in hopes to protect her?

No, none of that happened. The world slowed down as Kauai leapt forward, just like when he attacked her on the boat. Hiapo jerked Moana into the protection of his arms as Maui stepped in front of the kids. Moana closed her eyes and anxiously waited to hear some kind of battle cry from either her friends or her foe.

There was a faint cry that could barely be heard over the roar of the fire. It was strained and weak, so weak that Moana questioned if it were actually real. She opened her eyes slowly, one then the other, and peeked over Hiapo's shoulder. Hiapo turned his head to look at what had happened, as well.

Maui's shoulders bounced as he breathed heavily, trying to control his heartbeat, and the butt of his hook in front of him. From the angle she was in, Moana could only make out Kauai's human body standing front of Maui, almost as frozen as Maui's hook. Kauai's face was hidden behind Maui's.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Moana broke free of Hiapo's embrace and stepped around Maui. She stopped in her tracks at the sight before her.

Half of the hook was lodged into Kauai's chest and a small bit stuck out the other side. Kauai stood motionless, eyes wide and blood pouring from the corners of his mouth, staring straight at Maui. The thin cloth over his chest was stained with dark red, similar to when she first met him only days earlier. Funny, it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Maui," Moana whispered, water welling in her eyes as she tore her gaze from the boy to her best friend. Maui's shoulders sagged and a single tear dripped down his face.

"Nice to see you again, friend," he muttered, grabbing Kauai's shoulder and sliding his hook out of the demigod's stomach. Blood dripped off the hook and stained the soil beneath them. Behind Moana, a tree burst into flames and suddenly, time was restored. The island was still burning and the fire had caught up to them. Hiapo grabbed Moana's hand.

"We have to get to the water!" he shouted over the cackling flames. Moana and Maui nodded. Hiapo and Moana took off, clenching the other's hand like their life depended on it. Maui stared at the discoloration on his hook, then back at his old friend's body. He forced himself to transform into his hawk and took to the sky where a few tears might've shed, but nobody has to know.

When Maui landed on the beach, Moana and Hiapo were emerging from the jungle. The ocean had calmed and the boat that held Moana's family was nearly at the shore. Moana took a deep breath and turned to stare up at the island withering away to nothing.

"Are you okay?" Moana asked, turning to Maui. "I know that wasn't easy."

Maui watched the fire eat up the last remaining life on the island and swallow it whole. "I will be, I guess."

"Moana!" Sina cried, leaping off the boat and running through the water. She engulfed her daughter in a bone crushing hug, tears streaming down her face.

"Hiapo!" Haylle exclaimed, running into the arms over her brother and burying her face in his shoulder. Hiapo hugged her tight and sighed, relieved they were both alright.

"Of all the irresponsible things you could've done!" Tui shouted, pulling the boat onto the sand. He marched over to Moana, his lips in a stern pout.

Moana smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry, dad. Ohana, you know. There's no way I could just leave Maui behind like that."

Tui glanced at Maui, who looked just as sheepish as Moana, and rolled his eyes. "You and your kind heart. Fine, just don't do that again. We need to head back, I'm sure the village is worried about our absence."

As Hiapo and the others began to board the boat, Moana turned to Maui. "You know, the offer still stands. You can come back with us, if you want."

Maui smiled. "Thanks, but I have things to do. Somebody has to tell Pele what happened to her son and I'm going to need some time myself to, I don't know, move on, I guess. Then, who knows? Maybe I'll swing by, make sure you don't help anymore kids on random islands."

Moana chuckled and brushed her hair out of her face. "Just make sure to swing by more often, the village kids are asking about you."

"Yeah, I'm sure they're the ones asking about me."

"Don't get so cocky, it's not like you're a god or anything."

Maui scoffed and smirked. "See you around, Chosen One."

Moana nodded. "Yeah, I guess I'll see you around, Maui."

With a hearty shove with a paddle and the gust of the wind, the islanders were off, sights set on home. Above, a tan hawk flew through the sky, gliding on the air and following the canoe of a great friend. Moana smiled and waved up at him as she grabbed hold of a rope and leaned over the side of the boat, dragging her hand through the water current.

Behind them, a once monstrous fire dispersed into smoke and ashes covered the island. Moana sat at the back of the canoe, watching her friends and family share laughs and stories and she sighed, content with the world. Still, she couldn't help but turn and stare at her biggest nightmare, the place that will haunt her forever. She couldn't help but think of Kauai, and his body that now mixed with the residue of the land. She hoped he was at peace now, wherever his soul laid to rest.

* * *

Wow, I have no idea why it took me so long to finish this. Writer's block is killer, dang. Anyways, I hope this was well worth the wait (except for that ending, so abrupt, geez Louise)! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I just really want to get this uploaded before bed! This was really fun to write!

Leave a review and _thank you_! :D


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